Chicken Noodle Coddling
by Aerysa
Summary: What happens when one of their own comes down with something and Akane takes it upon herself to play the role of nurturer?
1. Chapter 1

**Chicken Noodle Coddling **

**Chapter 1**

"Achoo!"

"What's wrong with you?" Masaoka asked the tangerine-haired enforcer. "You've been sneezing for the last ten minutes."

"Dunno. My nose is just itchy," he answered.

"Are you sure you're not coming down with something?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

"It's not like idiots can catch colds anyways," added Kunizuka.

"Hey!"

When Kagari turned to glare at the raven-haired beauty, it was to find her peeking at him over the top of sheet music she had been studying. When he caught her attention, she smirked before glancing down at the papers in front of her. Though Kagari pouted about her insult, she paid no attention to his antics and he eventually resumed his videogame playing.

Despite Kunizuka's claims, Masaoka hoped he was alright. This was the first time he had ever shown such a violent reaction when they were in the office. He discreetly glanced at their inspector currently present with them, but the man showed no signs that he had overheard their conversation. For all it seemed, he was hard at work, his nose buried in the abundant source of information in front of him.

* * *

_Two Hours Later_

"We're back!" Akane announced as she was returning from a trip out with Kougami.

"How did things go?" Ginoza questioned.

"Ah well…"

She approached the senior inspector's desk with her accompanying enforcer trailing behind her. On her way across the room, she smiled at Masaoka-san who glanced up at her. The other two were preoccupied with their own things, though she had come to realize it was just a façade. They were always alert when it came to new information, even if it seemed otherwise.

"It wasn't the primary crime scene like we had hoped it would be," she stated. "It does seem like something had taken place there, but not the actual murder. There were scuff marks that Kougami-san had been able to discover and some trace evidence that…"

Her update was cut short by the sound of a loud sneeze and she turned around to determine who had been the source of it. Kunizuka was still examining her sheet music unconcerned, but Masaoka was staring at Kagari with a hint of concern on his face. When he realized the discussion had stopped because of him, Kagari glanced up sheepishly.

"What is going on here?" Akane demanded, her eyes narrowing.

"It was just a sneeze. I apologize for interrupting, but you can still continue."

"He's been sneezing the whole time you've been gone," Masaoka informed her.

"It's quite normal for people to sneeze you know," Ginoza stated coolly, not pleased by the unexpected interruption.

She didn't say anything for the longest time as she stared at Kagari, to the point where he wondered if she was secretly as strict as Ginoza was. Eventually, her expression darkened before she turned around to slam her hand on Ginoza's desk. It startled everyone, though her outburst of anger seemed to be directed at her fellow inspector.

"Excuse me?" she drawled out. "It's normal for someone to be sneezing for hours?"

"He's fine. He said so himself."

"Hardly!" she exclaimed, turning to point at him. "He's completely flushed and feverish! Why didn't you send him to the medic center?"

"He said he was fine when Masaoka asked him earlier. If he's fit to work, then he is expected to be here."

"Just because he _says_ he's fine, it doesn't mean he is," she retorted, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "You are responsible for your team members, _inspector_."

With that, she whirled around, the status update completely forgotten. Marching directly towards Kagari, she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up out of his seat, his game console dropping to the floor. Since she was oblivious to the sudden tension in the room, Kagari struggled against her rough treatment, but actually did not have the strength to fight her off in his weakened state.

She had him standing and slung his arm over her shoulder while she placed her arm around his waist for support. Secretly amused, Masaoka snuck a glance at the inspector who had received a scathing reprimand from the fiery girl who also held the equivalent title. Since day one on the job, she had proven herself to be a force to be reckoned with.

"Where are you going?" Ginoza eventually demanded as the two were making their way out of the room.

"The medic center where you should have taken him hours ago!"

"Are you going to be alright, ojou-chan? Do you need my help?" Masaoka inquired.

"No, you stay here. Kougami-san, finish the rest of the update."

"Tsunemori-chan, I'm fine," Kagari protested as he could feel eyes like daggers drilling into his back.

"Absolutely not. You are going and that's final."

* * *

_Another Hour Later_

Akane returned to the office after she had taken Kagari to the medic center. There they had administered his medication and informed her that he needed to be in bed resting. When she inquired if he would be alright, they assured her that he would recover in no time. He just needed lots of rest and lots of fluids. The medication would help lower his fever.

"How did it go?" Masaoka asked.

"He's resting in his room and he's going to be out for a week, at least. It could have been a whole lot worse if we waited any longer."

At this, she shot a dark look in Ginoza's direction, but the man had regained his usual calm and ignored her. Since he chose not to comment, Akane continued the update for Masaoka's sake since he seemed to be the only one showing any concern. They were supposed to be a team where they looked out for each other which was why she couldn't understand their decision to disregard the situation.

"So I guess we'll have to cover for him while he's recovering?"

"Yes. He wouldn't be a help to anyone in the state he's in," Akane answered. "So did we come to any conclusions about the case?"

"Not yet. We're waiting for results from the lab."

"Oh alright. Let me know when they come in."

"Where are you going?" asked Kougami.

"To check on Kagari again. He's a terrible patient, if you must know. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay here before going back."

"Okay, we'll tell you immediately."

Smiling at Masaoka, she nodded and headed out of the room she had only stayed in for a few moments. Masaoka watched her go before turning back to the computer screen in front of him. It was delightful to have someone like Akane on their team because he was certain Kagari wouldn't have listened to him unless he forcibly picked him up and carried him down; not that Ginoza would have allowed that to happen.

* * *

_The Next Day_

Entering the main CID office, a sweeping glance of the room told Kougami that Akane was still not present. It was strange since she was usually present a full twenty minutes before her shift started. Ginoza was at his desk as were Kunizuka and Masaoka. The older enforcer was pulling a double shift to cover for the fact that Kagari was still suffering from his flu.

"Where's Inspector Tsunemori?" he asked.

"Ojou-chan was in earlier, but said she would drop in to check on Kagari before her shift started."

A slight flicker of emotion passed over his features, but he didn't say anything else as he took his seat. There was nothing he could say or do as she was in control of how she spent her time. It wasn't like she would show up late when she was conscientious of her responsibilities.

* * *

"Kagari-san, you need to be resting."

"But I'm hungry!" he whined.

"I know. That's why I went to get this for you."

He grimaced as he stared down at the bowl of broth she had brought along with her. It hardly looked appetizing when there was absolutely nothing in it. He wanted _real_ food – like meat; at least something solid and not that watery concoction she had presented to him.

"It's good for you," she insisted. "They said you need lots of fluids."

"It looks disgusting. I won't eat it."

"You have to."

"Do not," he argued, being difficult.

"Yes, you do. It's exactly what they said you should have."

"I want steak and stir-fry!"

"Only when you're better," she promised. "And you're not going to get better if you don't eat this."

Still he fussed, wrinkling his nose at the thought. Akane inwardly sighed, wondering what sort of trick she could use to convince him. She knew he was somewhat of a food connoisseur, even cooking for himself in his free time. But in his current state, he was hardly fit to stand, let alone cook.

"What now?" she asked as she caught him grinning at her.

"I'll eat it, but only on one condition."

"And what's that?"

"If you feed me," he replied with glee.

"Fine, but you have five minutes before I need to go."

As she lifted the spoon from the bowl, he obediently opened his mouth and swallowed the spoonful she placed inside. Silently, he had been hoping she would become flustered by the idea, but she wasn't. Even so, it was a pleasant feeling to have her take care of him. Ginoza didn't usually pair him up with her and this way he could monopolize her time since the others wouldn't come to visit.

It didn't take him five minutes to finish and she made sure he was lying down, tucked into bed once more. He was still grinning at her as he informed her that that was the only way he would eat his so-called patient's food. Akane only sighed before shaking her head in disbelief, yet promising she would return again to check up on him.

* * *

_Another Day Later_

Akane was sitting with Kagari as he was protesting against his confinement. He insisted he was well enough to be up and about, but Akane knew otherwise. There were still traces of his fever and he was weak. It would be another day or two before he could move around on his own, but she was going to make sure he stayed in bed longer, if she could.

Despite his multitudes of complaints, he still followed her instructions, clearly enjoying the fact that he could make demands of her. Truly she didn't mind as she supposed it could be a whole lot worse. He fussed a bit here and there before he eventually did as she asked. In a way, she wondered if the attention seeking attitude related to his upbringing as she recalled him saying he had been labelled a latent criminal at the tender age of five.

"Are you hungry?" she questioned.

"Not if you're going to feed me that tasteless watery stuff."

"Then what do you want?"

"Ramen!" he exclaimed.

"Not happening. Soup – clear soup."

"Yuck," he complained.

"I guess more of the same it is," she replied with a grin.

"No!"

"Then what do you want?"

"Mm… Chicken noodle soup," he finally answered.

"Alright. I'll be back in a minute and you better be in bed still when I return."

About to stand up, she was stopped by the feeling of Kagari's hand wrapping around her wrist. Surprised, she glanced at him to see that he was watching her with a light smile on his lips. It was a sure sign that he had thought of something to add to his request, to make her task more difficult. It always showed up when he had a sneaky idea in mind.

"Not that machine crap," he stated. "Handmade Tsunemori-chan soup."

"What? You want me to make it?!"

"Yup!"

"But I don't know how to cook and where would I find the ingredients?" she countered.

"I'm sure there's something in my fridge. If you help me to the kitchen, I can give you instructions. I'm sick of staying in bed!"

Even as she narrowed her eyes at him, he only gave her a sweet smile like he had no ulterior motives in mind. She was trapped since he was still holding onto her. If she truly wished to escape, she could use force since he still hadn't regained his strength, but she didn't want to hurt him. Finally sighing in response, she agreed and he released her.

Kagari eagerly threw back his covers before slowly sliding his feet over the edge of his bed. She probably knew, but he had tried on his own while she was away. A wave of dizziness usually hit him before he could stand. He hated feeling this weak, yet it didn't seem so terrible whenever she dropped by to feed him and keep him company.

Shifting her position so she was seated next to him, she placed his arm around her shoulders and her arm around his waist. Little by little, they stood up together and she was relieved that he wasn't as weak as he had been that first day. She guided him to the couch which faced his kitchen before she went back to his room for his blanket.

"It's hot," he complained when she placed it over him.

"You'll make it worse if you don't stay warm. I already agreed to attempt cooking…"

"Oh fine."

"So tell me what I need to do," she said.

"There's chicken in the fridge, noodles and chicken broth in the pantry."

First she entered the kitchen to wash her hands before she went to retrieve the items he had listed. The noodles and chicken broth had been easy to find since they had labels, but she had no idea what she was looking for when it came to raw chicken. There were slabs of meat, an assortment of vegetables, sauces and drinks in his fridge.

"Chicken?" she questioned after searching around with no success.

"There should be two pieces – light pink in colour. One should be enough."

"Okay, got it," she stated as she spotted what he described.

"Mm, so you need to skim the fat from the chicken and cut it into cubes. The noodles need to be cooked separately first. There are pots in the drawer below the stove. Knives are in the first drawer left of the stove and the cutting board is on the shelf beneath that drawer."

"Uh… Think you can slow down for an amateur?"

He laughed at her question, slowly repeating the information one by one. It was comforting to watch her moving around in his space. Once she had located everything she needed, he had her start with the chicken as he realized she would never be able to multitask like he was used to doing. He genuinely wanted to try her cooking, not hurt her in the process.

It was a laborious task, especially for someone who was doing it for the first time. As she followed each of his instructions carefully, Akane finally realized how time consuming it was. The noodles had to be cooked first which took fifteen to twenty minutes to reach the desired softness. Cutting up the chicken had taken her equally long since she wasn't accustomed to handling a knife.

Yet at the end of it, it smelt fragrant in the room. Though she couldn't guarantee the taste, it had been a fun experience and she could understand why he enjoyed it so much. There was something satisfying about creating it with her own hands rather than relying on what a machine spit out at her input.

"Did you taste it?" Kagari asked.

"No."

"You should. It's an important aspect, to taste that it's seasoned properly. If there isn't enough flavour, you can add some salt."

"Oh…"

"Well, if you think it's ready, you can take it off of the heat and turn off the stove," he said.

Dipping a spoon into the pot, Akane had the first taste of her own creation. Since the flavour seemed alright, she removed the pot from the heating element and turned off the stove. Beads of perspiration dotted her forehead and she brushed them away before glancing at Kagari who was watching her from the distance.

"So, how does it feel?"

"Complicated, yet really good," she answered with a smile.

"There are bowls in the cabinet behind you," he stated as he returned her smile. "Share with me. You deserve it since you made it."

Nodding in reply, she grabbed two bowls before portioning out the soup. It was hardly complicated compared to what she had already seen him make, yet this was her creation. Sure, she wouldn't be able to do this without his guidance, but it was still her work. As the filled bowls sat side by side, she felt proud of this accomplishment.

Pulling out a second spoon, Akane cautiously transported the bowls onto the cork potholders he had informed her about. It was really hot and she didn't want to waste all her hard work by dropping it. Once the two bowls were moved to the coffee table in front of the sofa Kagari was sitting on, she took a seat next to him.

"You're not eating?"

"Feed me!" he declared with a grin.

"Even after I made it?!"

"You promised."

"Are you insulting my cooking even before you've tried it?" she grumbled. "I was taught by an expert you know."

"And now that expert is hungry," he teased as he winked at her.

As he had intended, she chuckled before she complied with his second demand. Lifting the spoon from the bowl, she blew on it to cool it down as the liquid was piping hot. When she felt that it wouldn't scorch his throat, she moved it to his ready and waiting mouth. Slowly she pulled the spoon from between his lips while he took his time tasting it.

"The verdict?" asked Akane. "Did I pass?"

"It's not steak or stir-fry, but I'll accept it."

"So you'll feed yourself?"

"Nope!" he announced cheerfully. "I'm tired from giving you instructions."

"You big baby," she retorted lightly.

* * *

_A Week Later_

Walking into the CID office for the first time in more than a week, Kagari grinned happily. He was finally fully recovered to the point that Akane had deemed him fit for work. During the entire time he had been labelled unwell, she had visited three times a day to make sure he had food to eat and he even convinced her to cook on his behalf. It couldn't have gone any better.

"I'm back!" he announced.

"Welcome back."

"It's about time," Ginoza grumbled.

The only one not to say anything was Kougami as Kunizuka and Akane were both off. Not only did he pointedly ignore him, it seemed as if the dark-haired enforcer had glared at him. At least, that was the feeling Kagari got before he turned back to his work in front of him. Confused by that glimmer of hostility, Kagari turned to glance at Masaoka who only smiled enigmatically before also turning to his work.

* * *

_Two Weeks Later_

"Achoo!"

Glancing around the room at the sound of a sneeze, Akane carefully examined each member present in the room. It wasn't Ginoza as he was still staring at his report. Her gaze immediately swung to Kagari, thinking he was having a relapse since he had recovered not too long ago, but it wasn't him either. Kunizuka was busily typing away, her work undisturbed. That left Masaoka and Kougami. When she glanced at the oldest enforcer, it was to find him watching her with a grin on his face.

She didn't understand why he was looking at her that way, but he seemed perfectly fine. The remaining culprit was Kougami and she had a hard time believing such an active, healthy man would get sick. Yet as she watched him more closely, she saw him sniffle before rubbing at his nose. Without a care for his health, he continued to type away like nothing had happened when he was clearly coming down with something.

"You!" she exclaimed, jumping up out of her seat.

With her sudden outburst, everyone glanced at her, but she paid no attention to them. A militant gleam had entered her eyes as she stared straight at Kougami. He seemed startled by her, but didn't move from his seat. Next thing he knew, she was bearing down on him with ruthless determination. When she stopped next to his desk, she motioned for him to stand up.

"Not you too! You are going down to the medic center right now! I am not going to carry you there."

"Eh? What's going on?"

That was what Kougami wanted to know as well since Akane was staring at him with her hands firmly placed on her hips. Behind him, Kagari was confused by the confrontation while Masaoka just laughed heartily. Ginoza was glaring at them for the excessive noise and Kunizuka was ignoring all of them, still at work. When he didn't move as she had demanded, she started tugging at his sleeve, not strong enough to pull him out from his seat.

"Up! We are going down to the medic center. I won't have you spreading your germs to everyone."

Since she was persistently pulling on him, Kougami slowly stood up. She grabbed him by the hand and began dragging him to the door. He watched her for a moment before he caught Masaoka grinning like crazy when they passed by him. Kagari was avidly watching the exchange though he showed no signs of understanding what just happened and the other two had decided to overlook her spontaneous moments of eccentricity.

"Eh? Masaoka, what just happened?" Kagari asked when the man began laughing again once they were gone.

"Hm? Someone was just pouting," he stated as his laughter subsided and he wiped the tears from his eyes.

The look Kagari gave him indicated that he had no clue what he was talking about. Why would he when he had been out of commission for more than a week? After all, he had been the one who had drawn her attention away and someone hadn't been happy about that; that every time he had come in, she wasn't around because she was busy taking care of a certain young enforcer.

* * *

**AN**

This one's for you Brianne! There's no way I can possibly wait until it's your birthday to post this XD

Anyways, I hope the flow of the story was alright. It seems a bit choppy to me since I'm not used to writing such short scenes.

Edit: Since a request was made for a continuation, I decided to write one, making this chapter one. Though really, it was originally supposed to be a oneshot... Lol. -shrugs-


	2. Chapter 2

**Chicken Noodle Coddling**

**Chapter 2**

"Really! What is wrong with you?" Akane exclaimed in a huff.

She was currently on route to the medic center with Kougami trailing behind her. For a man who knew to actively train his mind and body, she couldn't believe he would overlook symptoms that indicated he wasn't feeling well. It wasn't like him at all and she didn't know how to explain it. She never would have imagined it possible, yet the truth had presented itself to her.

"I'd expect this carelessness from Kagari, but definitely not from you," she continued, clearly upset with him. "You know better than that."

He grumbled about something, but she couldn't hear what he said; which was all the better in his opinion as he complained to himself that she had spent all her free time with that other enforcer. She spoke on like she hadn't heard him and Shinya grinned to himself since she couldn't see it. If she saw his response, she would really let him have it. But since she didn't know, let her think it had only been a matter of carelessness.

Following along contentedly, he enjoyed the feel of his hands in hers. Compared to how she had dragged Kagari along, this was much more intimate. He wasn't treated completely like a patient. Though she marched along with determined steps, it didn't take him much effort to keep up with her. When they reached their destination, his body seemed to cooperate with his mind; the sneeze that erupted from him emphasizing the deteriorated state of his health.

Akane turned around to glance at him just as he was rubbing his nose with the back of his free hand. The look she gave him conveyed her displeasure before she fished around in her pocket and produced a clean tissue. He had the grace to look ashamed and she nodded her head in approval when he used that instead. It was rare for any of them to get sick and they wouldn't have discovered this about her if it weren't for Kagari's incident. Even so, Shinya would not allow him to be the only one who benefitted from that fact.

"Come along," she said.

"Ah, Tsunemori-san, how can I help you?"

"I have another one…"

The nurse smiled as she glanced from the inspector to her companion as she had been the one to treat her first patient. This time it wasn't the cheerful Kagari, but she nodded and asked Kougami to follow her. At this point, Akane released him and he couldn't help feeling disappointed. He didn't know exactly how she had cared for Kagari, but he had imagined her staying by his side the entire time.

"Come along," the nurse said when he didn't move.

"She needs to check your symptoms and give you medication."

Since it didn't seem like she would go in with him, he had no choice but to follow. He was led to a patient's table and was asked to seat himself. When he did, she checked his eyes, ears, throat and temperature. It was a quick process which ended with the shaking of her head. Whether that was a good sign or not, Shinya couldn't tell.

"Looks like you caught what Kagari-kun had," the nurse announced.

"Oh…"

"Medication then off to bed with you. Lots of rest and lots of fluid."

With that, she went to fill her syringe and he dutifully removed his blazer before unbuttoning his sleeve and rolling it up. She looked on approvingly, wiping at his arm with antiseptic before the needle punctured his skin. It was quick and painless. In no time, he was returned to Akane's side.

"So what is it?" she inquired.

"The same as Kagari-kun, so you'll know what to do."

"Okay thanks."

"Take care of yourself too."

With a smile, Akane bade her goodbye before they were off. She didn't grab his hand like she had earlier and Shinya frowned. It was already childish to purposely make himself sick, but it would seem even more so if he insisted he needed her help. As a result, they made their way to his room silently walking side by side.

"Alright, into bed you go," she stated, taking control of the situation when they arrived.

He complied and she followed him there. The jacket he had removed earlier was placed to the side. Akane pulled back the covers for him. Then she pointed for him to crawl into bed so he did. After he was comfortable, she tucked the blanket around his shoulders and he smiled as that was exactly what he had imagined it would be like.

"Sleep well," she said softly. "I'll be back in a few hours."

* * *

_Thirty Minutes Later_

"So how did it go, ojou-chan?"

"I can't believe it! Out for a week, like Kagari was," she exclaimed.

"I guess he caught it from him?" Masaoka suggested.

"Who knows? At least he's well-behaved, unlike _someone_."

"Then he's stupid," Kagari declared with a grin, "when he has the capable Tsunemori-chan to look after him."

"You just have to make my life difficult."

"Only because you let me," he retorted lightly.

Akane rolled her eyes even as she smiled before going back to her desk. Though she complained, he hadn't really been that difficult. Besides, it had been rather fun to learn a bit about cooking. She doubted she would ever be as good as Kagari when it came to that skill, but it was definitely interesting. His road to recovery had been smooth and she hoped Kougami's would prove to be the same. As she retook her seat, she caught Masaoka smiling at her enigmatically and she couldn't help wondering why.

* * *

_Three Hours Later_

Quietly entering his room, Akane was carrying his next meal with her and she hoped he wouldn't show strong aversions to it like Kagari had. She left it in the kitchen before going to check on him, only to discover that he was still asleep. Standing next to his bed, she touched her hand to her own forehead first, and then lightly rested it against his. Still slightly feverish and her actions were enough to wake him.

Gradually, he opened his eyes to stare up at her and Akane smiled. Rather than returning it, he yawned and shifted beneath the covers. Since he didn't try to get up, she sat down on the edge of his bed. In turn, he folded down the covers fractionally so he could pull his arms out from beneath it. He felt like he was boiling in an oven.

"How are you feeling?" she inquired.

"Hot."

"Of course, since you have a fever. Are you hungry?"

"Starving," he replied.

"Alright, let me get it from the kitchen."

She left his side and Shinya slowly slid himself into a sitting position with his back resting against the headboard. He propped the pillow behind his back, awaiting her return. When she did, he glanced at the bowl skeptically as that did not look anything like a full meal. She caught his look and returned it with one of her own which implied he had no choice in the matter since he was sick.

"Be careful," she said as she placed it in front of him. "It's hot."

"That's it?"

"Lots of rest and lots of fluid," she repeated. "Nothing solid until you're feeling better."

"Kagari actually ate this?"

"Yup!"

Even if he didn't believe her, it was the truth. He had eaten it; it had just taken some extra coaxing – namely that she fed him. Thankfully that idea didn't enter Kougami's mind as he obediently dipped his spoon into his meal. His nose wrinkled with the first taste, but he continued eating. Since he was making it easy, Akane languidly sat down on his bed again.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Shinya inquired when it was half finished.

"I'm just pleased you're not a difficult patient."

"… What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. It's just that Kagari was," she answered.

She continued to watch him as he paused mid meal. Despite her urgings that he needed to finish it, he wasn't so sure he wanted to. Something about her declaration seemed ominous. Instead of eating, his eyes suddenly narrowed as he stared at her. Not understanding why, Akane frowned. He was almost finished with only half left.

"What did he do?"

"What did who do?" she questioned.

"Kagari."

"What?"

"You said Kagari was a difficult patient, so there must be a reason why you said that," he replied.

"Oh that. He refused to eat unless I fed him," she said lightly.

To her astonishment, the spoon slipped from his hand back into the bowl, splashing some of its contents onto the blanket. At the same time, his mouth dropped open to form a perfect O. He looked completely ridiculous as his cheeks were flushed from his fever and she couldn't help giggling. His reaction seemed extreme compared to what she said.

"Kougami-san, you need to finish your soup and get more rest," she coaxed.

Blinking at her a few times, he eventually closed his mouth. That sneaky brat! Why hadn't he thought of something like that? She was still giggling at his expense, but that didn't matter. Would it be too late to demand the same treatment Kagari had received? As he gradually relaxed, he decided it wouldn't hurt to try.

"Your soup."

"Feed me too," he declared.

"What?"

"You did for Kagari, so why can't you do that for me?"

"You were doing just fine on your own earlier," she pointed out.

There was no witty reply for that one, try as he might to think of something. Since there was no plausible verbal reply, he decided to go for the age old response of pouting his lips. It was absolutely absurd at his age, but he didn't care if it got him what he wanted. Besides, no one but her had to see it. She could hardly believe what she was seeing, laughing cheerfully at the silly picture he made.

"Seriously!" she exclaimed. "Are all you men such big babies when you're sick?"

"Maybe."

Again she laughed before slowly shaking her head in disbelief. Even so, Shinya was glad she actually picked up the spoon he dropped. Thankfully, she didn't seem annoyed by his sudden change of heart. Because of his request, she even went so far as to ask him to say ahh, babying him, a feat he happily complied with.

* * *

_The Next Day_

Lying awake in bed, Shinya was resting contentedly, waiting for Akane's return. He had spent his free time trying to think of requests he could make of her, and get away with because he was sick. If Kagari could convince her to feed him, a trick he copied, surely he could think of something better that she wouldn't have done for him.

Each meal since the first, she had fed him as he demanded, but it wasn't enough. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to think of anything ingenious. As a result, he was forced to stick to his borrowed idea – from Kagari of all people. Eventually, he would think of something; he just needed the right inspiration.

He couldn't tell how much time had passed, but it seemed like forever before he heard the door click. She was finally back! Just in time too because his stomach was starting to grumble. Only day two into recovery, he was still on his broth meal. He didn't know how anyone was supposed to recover when it was hardly filling.

"Kougami-san?" she asked as she poked her head in.

Turning to glance at her, he was about to smile when it slipped out of place. For some reason, she seemed tired today and his guilty conscience pricked at him; that he had taken his selfishness too far. Even so, she smiled at him when she noticed that he was awake and pushed her way in, once again carrying his evening meal.

"What's wrong?" he inquired when she set the tray on his nightstand. "Did something happen?"

"Hm? Oh, we were given a bit of a runaround today. That's why I was late. Here, let me help you."

Supporting his shoulders as he slowly pushed himself up, she settled the pillow behind him before asking him to lean back. A touch of concern marked his features, still worried that his sudden sickness was putting too much stress on her. She came to check on him every chance she had, staying even after her shift was over. And all for what? His selfish pride.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better, but hungry," he answered.

"I thought you would be."

Without question, she pulled the tray from the table and seated herself on his bed. Shinya ate what she fed him and the process was completed quickly as they didn't speak. As he watched her, he was preoccupied with trying to help her somehow. He could hardly go back to work when he wasn't fully healed yet, but there must be something he could do for her personally. After all, she was going to such extremes for his sake.

When he was done, she slipped the tray back onto the table. Resettling herself, she smiled at him sleepily and that was when he thought of something that could kill two birds with one stone. Slowly folding his arms over his chest, he wondered how he could word it delicately without scaring her off in the process. It was something she definitely didn't do with Kagari.

"You're tired," he commented softly as she covered a yawn with her hand.

"A little, but someone needs to make sure you eat."

"Have you eaten?"

"Of course," she replied.

"Then why don't you stay here tonight?"

"What?"

"It's been a long day for you and I'll be worried if you try to go home like this. There's more than enough room for both of us," answered Shinya.

"Eh? Did you forget that you're sick?"

"Well no, but I'm getting better. Besides, I only have one blanket."

"I think not. I'll just leave right away," she protested.

About to suit actions to words, Shinya didn't want that at all and quickly stuck out his hand to capture her wrist. She glanced at him in surprise. Though she tugged against his hold, he didn't release her. He was utterly serious for more reasons than one. If anything happened to her while she was attempting to get home, he would never forgive himself. This way, he would know that she was safe.

"Let me go, Kougami-san."

"I think not," he said. "Just like you've been looking after me, I need to look out for you too. Stay."

"But…"

"But?" he prompted.

"I don't have any clothes to change into…"

"Then borrow mine," he stated easily. "It's no big deal."

"Eh?"

She suddenly glanced away from him. When he carefully examined her features, he thought he detected a hint of a blush. Had he shocked the innocent Akane with his not-so-innocent request? Probably, not that he minded if it suggested that she was aware of him when he was already going to such grand lengths to monopolize her attention.

"Pick whatever you want from the top drawer. You can change outside since I'm in here."

"Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly.

"You can either stay here for the night or I'm escorting you home."

"You're still sick!"

Shrugging nonchalantly, he let her make her decision. He didn't care if he made himself worse if it meant that he would be reassured regarding her safety. Slowly she peeked at his dresser before peeking at him to find that his expression was serious. Sighing softly, she eventually gave in and left his side to grab a change of clothes.

Without looking at him, she dashed out of the room before the door closed behind her exit. Chuckling softly in response, Shinya patiently waited for her return. When she finally did, he silently gulped as he realized he hadn't thought this through too carefully. From his wardrobe, she had chosen a black t-shirt that was long enough to cover most of her, yet still sat higher than her usual skirt. Not to mention, she was completely dwarfed in something that was meant for him.

"Oh! I guess I should have brought that back up," she announced as she was staring at the dirty utensils beside him.

"Just leave it in the kitchen."

"Mm, be right back."

When she exited a second time, he slowly covered his eyes with his hand, wondering what sort of insanity had come over him. He had just insisted that the girl he was attracted to sleep next to him, in his own clothes, while she was completely oblivious to that fact. It was going to be a super long night.

* * *

Just as he had imagined it to be, the night was sweet torture. After she had crawled into bed next to him, she had spoken a couple sentences regarding her day before she fell asleep, with not a clue regarding his tumultuous thoughts. Prematurely, he thought he might survive the night until she was really asleep, comfortably so.

Obviously not accustomed to sharing a bed with anyone, she started shifting around, eventually sprawling out across the entire thing; sprawling out with her arm on his chest and one leg hooked around his. With all that movement she made, it was a wonder that she didn't wake at all. His mind was taking him into dangerous territory as he was certain his shirt had ridden up, exposing what really should be covered.

When he tried to push her away, it was to no avail. On the contrary, he made it worse because she mumbled something incoherently before she snuggled up right against him. Inwardly groaning, he attempted to count sheep while forcibly trying to ignore the clueless girl who was sleeping on top of him. Needless to say, sleep was the furthest thing from his mind, but it was only true for him.

* * *

_The Next Morning_

Lazily stretching as her mind awakened from her refreshing slumber, Akane wondered why Candy didn't wake her. It seemed like it was time to wake, yet there was no bubbly voice to greet her. Rubbing at her eyes, she slowly opened them, frozen stiff by what she saw. Anxiously tilting back her head, she found herself staring into the amused gray eyes of Kougami who she happened to be sleeping on.

"K – Kougami-san!" she exclaimed, shifting away from him.

"Good morning," he murmured.

"W – What are you doing here?"

"You slept here last night or did you forget?"

Suddenly springing up from the bed and taking the blanket with her, she quickly glanced around the room before she gasped. Then she looked down at herself to see that she was wearing his clothes and gasped again. She had completely forgotten! Nervously, she turned to look at her unexpected bed partner who was still lying down, but he wasn't paying attention.

In fact, he had purposely turned his head away. Not only had she not remembered sleeping with him, but she had no regard for her haphazard state of dress. As he had imagined, his shirt had bunched up, twisting in awkward angles around her body. It had already taken him forever to fall asleep due to the fact that she practically slept on top of him. He did not need to add to that memory in any way when he could still feel her there, even after she had already moved away.

"I'm so sorry, Kougami-san!" she apologized, clutching at her messy hair. "I'm a terrible sleeper. I probably kept you up all night."

"I slept just fine," lied Shinya.

"Are you sure…?"

"Yes."

"If you say so… Ack! What time is it?" Akane asked.

"Mm… Just after five."

"Oh, phew. I thought I was late for work since Candy isn't here."

"Candy?"

"My AI."

* * *

_Two Days Later_

"What happened?" Akane cried, her face twisted into a concerned frown.

Shinya tried to answer, but no words came out. Rather, he smiled weakly before he ended up coughing. His condition had taken an unexpected turn for the worse as his fever had returned. Immediately, she was by his side and clutched at his hand which was resting above his covers. He felt her give it a gentle squeeze.

"This is not good. I thought you were resting like you're supposed to."

"I was," he managed to croak out.

What he couldn't or wouldn't tell her was that it was a difficult task because the scent of her still lingered on his sheets; a heady distraction along with the memory of her weight on top of him. It wasn't that he didn't want to sleep, but it was near impossible. He couldn't even work himself into a state of exhaustion to help the situation.

"Not good at all," she repeated. "You're going to have to go down to the medic center."

"You'll never make it. You better get Masaoka to help."

The look he received indicated that she didn't think he knew her at all. Instead of listening to his suggestion, she pulled back his covers and carefully helped him up. Despite his protests that she couldn't support him, she paid no attention to them. She treated him the way she had Kagari, with his arm around her shoulders and hers around his waist.

* * *

To his utter amazement, she actually managed to help him all the way there. They had stumbled on occasion, mostly because his vision became hazy, but she still managed. Where did she hide such unimaginable strength? He had to be double her weight, at the bare minimum. Yet she was perfectly fine when she delivered him into the medic center and helped him onto a patient's bench.

It was a different nurse on duty and she sighed when Akane informed her what had happened. They didn't have to check to know that he was in worse shape than when he had originally come in. Once again, his sleeve was rolled up and his injection was administered. He wished it was a miracle drug that cured him instantly, but it wasn't. He still felt absolutely terrible.

"Can I at least take a shower?" he asked after drinking the glass of water he had been handed.

"No," the nurse replied.

"But I stink and I'm sweaty all over."

"Sponge bath. You're not strong enough to take a shower. No standing. Stay in bed and rest."

He frowned, but was in no condition to complain. He couldn't even make it to his room on his own. Just for good measure, she had him down another glass of water before she permitted him to leave. Akane waited for him, assisting him once more and he silently cursed himself for his stupidity. What the hell was he thinking to put her through all this?

It took them just as long to get back to his room and when they did, he was completely spent. He flopped over on his bed, leaving it up to her to get him tucked in. His legs had to be swung up onto the bed, his position straightened out. She was finally pulling the covers up to his chin when he made a rare show of strength and pushed her away.

"Kougami-san?"

"No. I refuse to sleep in this filthy thing for one more night."

She stepped away from him and he regretted his rash actions. It was already a lot that he demanded of her. It wasn't her fault when he was the one who didn't take care of himself. Yet she wasn't annoyed with him as he initially thought she might be. Instead, she took in a deep breath which she slowly exhaled. Then she was helping him up from the bed.

"I'll be back in just a minute," she said when he was sitting on his own.

She disappeared into the bathroom, returning with a wetted hand towel. It was still slightly damp as she hadn't wrung it out completely. That was placed on top of his nightstand before she approached him again. This time, she actually climbed onto the bed and seated herself on his legs as she faced him. He really wanted to complain about the indecency of this, but he didn't have the strength and she wasn't listening.

Fully focused on the buttons of his shirt, she was undoing them one by one. Even in this state, or maybe because of it, Shinya couldn't believe the train of thoughts running through his head. Given his impulse demand, her actions were innocent; but that didn't mean his thoughts were innocent because there was something seductively alluring about the fact that she was so carefully undressing him.

When the buttons were undone completely, she helped him out of it and he was relieved that the sweat-stained shirt was peeled away from his skin. It felt like he could breathe again! He remained motionless in the middle of the bed, his sapped energy spent on keeping himself upright. When she shifted from her position, he relaxed a little – until she actually seated herself behind him, running the wet towel up and down his back.

"Are you okay?" she asked when she heard him suck in a breath of air.

"I'm fine," he muttered between clenched teeth.

Since he said that, she resumed her duties of giving him his so-called bath. If he thought their night together was torture, this was a hundred times worse. He might be feverish and sick, but he could feel every stroke of her fingertips lightly grazing along his skin; a stark contrast of her cool skin against his flushed body.

Every exposed area of skin was treated with the same delicate consideration, starting with his back, then his arms and finally his chest. Akane being Akane wasn't finished there as she was thorough with each task assigned to her, insisting that she needed to repeat the process once she had rinsed out the towel. Ultimately, she was prolonging his agony.

"Doesn't that feel so much better?" she asked with a smile.

"Infinitely."

Tossing the towel onto the side table, she hopped off of the bed and went to retrieve a clean shirt for him. Once again needing her help in every aspect, she pulled it down over his head before guiding his arms through the sleeves. When she was _finally_ done, he fell backwards entirely exhausted. His eyes closed even as she pulled the covers tight around him.

"Sleep well, Kougami-san," he heard her whisper.

Her hand rested against his forehead for a moment before she silently slipped away to clean up. As she moved around in his room, Shinya willed himself to get better – fast. Though it was exactly what he had hoped for, he didn't think he could withstand much more of it. While she approached every errand for him like the patient he was, his body was not able to accept it that way.

* * *

_A Week and A Half Later_

"Are you sure you should be doing this?"

"Yes. I'm mighty sick of being cooped up in my room all day," Shinya declared.

"But you're not a hundred percent better yet."

"Good enough."

The two of them entered the main office together and Shinya was immediately greeted by a knowing smile from Masaoka. Akane didn't seem to notice and he chose to ignore it. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like the old man would let him off the hook that easily. After all, they were the ones who had to cover for him during his lengthy absence.

"Well, well… Look what the cat finally dragged in," he teased. "I see you're up and about now."

"He's not fully better yet," Akane informed him.

"I'm _fine,"_ Shinya retorted. "It's boring as hell to stay in my room all day."

"I still think you should take another day off."

That was all she said on the matter before she strolled to her own desk and resumed her unfinished tasks from the previous day. With a weary sigh, Shinya dragged himself to his desk and dropped into the chair happily. Though he had thought it a brilliant idea at the time – never again. If he wasn't careful, he was going to be run ragged by the girl and she wouldn't even realize it.

"Serves you right," Masaoka said with a chuckle.

"I'll say…"

* * *

**AN**

Mwahaha... KogaNe? I believe that was very much so KogaNe even if the story didn't originally seem so with the focus on Kagari. You have to lead up to the best parts! XD

Gah, I seriously had waaay too much fun with this chapter! Shinya _thought_ he was brilliant until his ideas backfired on him. (Bri, don't hate me for it... Lol.)

That said, I'm not completely done with this story yet! I had another idea come to me, so there's going to be Part 3! Stay tuned :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chicken Noodle Coddling**

**Chapter 3**

_One Month Later_

"Uh oh," Akane murmured.

"What is it, ojou-chan?"

Sitting at her desk in the main office of her department, she slowly turned to her companion with a weak smile. She was alone with Masaoka-san as the others had left on a mission. Since they weren't all required for the task, Ginoza had told her to stay behind with their oldest enforcer. Perhaps it was a good thing which ultimately worked in her favour because she could feel sudden chills racing up and down her spine.

"… I don't feel so good," she informed him.

His eyes widened in surprise and he was beside her, scooping her out of her seat before she could even say anything. When she was about to protest, she received a stern stare for her efforts. As a result, she had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck as he made his way out. She didn't have to ask to know where he was taking her; she was just grateful there was someone around when it happened.

* * *

_Forty-five Minutes Later_

Making their way back to the office, Kagari was the first to enter the room with Kunizuka behind him and Kougami behind her. When he stopped abruptly, Kunizuka ended up bumping into him, resulting in a frown. She was about to protest when Kougami ran into her and his heavier mass caused the other two to stumble in. Even so, Kagari easily steadied himself, surprisingly making no complaints.

"What was that for?" Kunizuka demanded.

"… Where is everyone?" asked Kagari, ignoring her question.

When they glanced around the place, it was to find it completely abandoned. Neither Masaoka nor Akane were anywhere in sight. Though they were given a break for the day, not required to go out into the field, they knew to be on the alert in case something happened. For both of them to disappear, it wasn't like them at all. Kougami approached her desk to find that her latest report was left open, still half finished.

"Weird."

"For both of them to be gone? Definitely," Shinya said.

They glanced at each other, trying to determine a plausible cause, but they came up empty-handed. They were still pondering about this when Masaoka returned to the room a few minutes later. To their surprise, he was alone. Even as he stepped in fully, Akane wasn't behind him as so often was the case; that she was hidden from view because of her small stature.

"Where's Inspector Tsunemori?" asked Kunizuka.

"Mm… Earlier she said she wasn't feeling well, so I had to take her to the medic center. It doesn't look good."

"What?!"

"It seems she caught what the two of you had," Masaoka explained. "I left her with the nurses since I didn't want to abandon the place."

"Eh? Tsunemori-chan is sick?" Kagari exclaimed.

"Isn't that what I just said?"

"… Then someone needs to take care of her," declared Kougami. "She shouldn't be home alone where there's no one to watch her."

"Then obviously it should be me," Shuusei announced. "She looked after me, so I need to return the favour."

"What?! Of course not you! I meant me!"

"She looked after me first, so of course it's me!"

"Well I'm older than you, and more responsible," Shinya argued.

"Then if that's the case, it should be Shion since she's a physician which neither of you are," Yayoi pointed out.

Both Kagari and Kougami turned to glare at her, obviously not agreeing with her statement. Quickly vetoing her rational suggestion, they turned back towards each other, continuing their argument. As he watched the unfolding drama, Masaoka had a difficult time holding back his laughter. He never imagined this happening when he made his announcement, and yet, he should have expected it when it came to their young inspector. Each of them, himself included, was protective of her in their own way.

* * *

After stopping by the chief's office to give her a quick update, Ginoza returned to his own office. As he was about to step through its doors, he found himself greeted by a bizarre pandemonium. For reasons unknown, Kagari and Kougami were bickering like children, to the point that they were grabbing at each other's shirt collars. On one side, Masaoka was tightly gripping the back of his chair, looking like he might bust a gut at any second. Even the lips of the calm and aloof Kunizuka were twitching.

"What the hell is going on here?" he bellowed.

The shouting stopped as all four turned to glance at him, quieting for a moment as he looked like a demon lord come alive out of a picture book. Then Kagari and Kougami started talking over each other. He assumed they were trying to tell him what had happened, but he couldn't make out a word they were saying. Finally, he had to shout at them again, to make them stop.

"One by one, and be quick about it!" he snapped impatiently.

"Tsunemori-chan is sick."

"So she needs someone to take care of her."

"Which is what they're arguing about," Yayoi added. "Since she already did for them once."

"That's it? Then she can stay with me."

"Eh? No way!" the three of them exclaimed.

"W – What?" he replied, stunned by their outburst.

"Definitely not you! You can't because you're the only inspector available right now."

"Besides, you're not exactly nurturing," Kagari accused. "Tsunemori-chan is bound to get worse if she stays with you!"

Suddenly, the two had joined forces to attack Ginoza for his outlandish idea; that he could even imagine offering himself as a solution. Harassed by his two enforcers, he was put out of sorts and it showed clearly on his face. He couldn't even get a word in edgewise as he was barraged on both sides. It was just too much and finally, Masaoka couldn't take it anymore. He laughed and laughed like he never had before, forced to sit down because he didn't have the strength to stand.

"What's so funny?!" they demanded as he had drawn their censure with his callous behaviour.

"Oh… You two are just too hilarious."

"How so?"

"It's not funny. She needs someone to take care of her!"

"Which she has," he struggled to get out. "She has already been placed in her own room where the nurses can monitor her at all hours of the day. You didn't _seriously_ think they would let one of you do that, did you?"

"Then why didn't you say so earlier?" Ginoza demanded, annoyed he had faced all that for nothing.

"I would have, but they didn't give me a chance."

* * *

_Five Hours Later_

Leaving the office, Shinya headed directly to the medic center rather than his room. Ginoza had forbidden them to go visit Akane, but who the hell cared what he thought anyways? Besides, he was off shift now. He could do whatever he wanted and he wanted to check on Akane. There was nothing Ginoza could say or do to stop him.

When he arrived, he was forced to inquire which room was hers. One of the nurses showed him there, but informed him that she was not to be disturbed because she was still resting. He was already that close, he wasn't going to back down now. She shouldn't have shown him in the first place if that were the case.

His insistence was met with a frown, but he kept persisting until she reluctantly agreed with an extracted promise that he would stay quiet. She let him in, and then left to resume her duties. When she was gone, Shinya entered the room and waited for the door to slide shut behind him before he slowly approached the bed.

Asleep beneath the covers, she seemed smaller than usual as he could only see part of her face poking out. Her cheeks were flushed a rosy colour and she seemed to be resting easy, considering her condition. Spotting a stool off to the side, he went to retrieve it and silently placed it beside the bed so he could sit and watch her.

Up close, he could see that her breathing was slightly laboured. It wasn't like her at all. As a result, he questioned if he was the cause for her illness. Usually she was so proactive about maintaining her health, it was the only reason he could think of. After all, she had spent more than two weeks caring for him, and even cared for Kagari prior to his sickness.

Despite realizing the truth of Masaoka's earlier comment and knowing that she was in the best hands where she was, he still wanted to be the one to care for her. Unfortunately, it wasn't a freedom allowed to him in his current position. If he were still an inspector he could, but then he recognized the absurdity of that thought. If he were still an inspector, he never would have met her in the first place because he would still be partnered with Ginoza. She would have been assigned to a different team entirely.

As she lay there struggling with each breath, she looked as fragile as she originally seemed. He didn't like it one bit. Without thinking, he reached out to brush her sticky bangs away from her sweaty forehead. His gaze softened as he gently stroked his fingertips across her flushed skin, mentally willing her to get better because he needed her.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Shinya, he was being monitored in the analytical lab as Shion had pulled up the screen for Akane's room. They were all watching as he sat by her side. If he had known, he would be thankful that they couldn't actually see his face as he was gazing at her with his sense of longing clearly written across it.

Though Ginoza frowned, he didn't give voice to any of his thoughts. It was Kagari who made a noisy outburst, threatening to go down there and tell him a thing or two as Shinya had done what he himself didn't have the courage to do. Though he had been about to dash out of the room, his actions were halted by a firm grip around his upper arm.

"Let me go, Masaoka!"

"Not this time," he replied lightly. "She needs to rest. You'll only disrupt her."

"I think that's enough of the show," Ginoza added harshly. "He might be off duty for now, but the rest of us have work to do."

Since he was staring at her for being the instigator, Shion clicked the screen closed and turned back to her work. As for the rest of them, they were herded out by Ginoza to the main office where Kunizuka eventually left them because her shift had actually ended the same time as Shinya's. She had only stayed around, expecting something would happen.

* * *

He had no idea how long he had sat there, calming himself as he stroked her face repeatedly. Eventually, he noticed her eyelids beginning to flutter and he released the breath of air he didn't realize he had been holding in. Though she was awaking, he didn't pull his hand away, still needing the comfort of her proximity. Instead, he waited for her to open her eyes fully, so she could see that he was right here beside her.

"Kougami-san," she whispered.

"Hello. How are you feeling?"

"A bit better. That feels nice."

"Hm?" he asked. "What does?"

Since she started shifting around, he helped pull the blanket down from her chin to give her some breathing room. Poking out her arms, she latched onto his hand that was hovering near her face. Taking it between hers, she pressed it against her cheek before sighing softly. Her eyes closed briefly, and then opened as she glanced at him once more.

"Your hand is so cool."

"It's normal. You're the one who's feverish," he said.

Her only response was a tiny smile before she closed her eyes, still holding him captive there. She didn't speak or move for the longest time, he almost thought she had fallen asleep when she shifted his hand down onto her neck. Then she was staring at him, clearly asking for something, except he didn't know what it was that she wanted.

When she reached her hand out to him, he offered his free one and she smiled. Taking it into her possession, she pressed it against her other cheek. She was enjoying the contrast of their body temperatures. As she closed her eyes once more, he realized she wasn't tired yet because she had only woken up moments ago. He could spend a few more minutes with her.

"Did you eat already?" he inquired.

"Earlier, some time. Your favourite broth."

Smiling as she could still tease in a situation like this, he let the subject drop. Instead, he updated her on their latest finding from the case they had been working on. She asked a few things here and there, but mostly let him speak. He kept going until he saw her yawn which was when he cut short his visit, knowing she needed rest.

"We can speak again tomorrow," he told her.

"Mm… Alright."

She released his hands and he tucked the covers snuggly around her shoulders. As he stood, it was to see that she had closed her eyes, obediently following the directions provided by her body. He stroked the back of his fingers lightly against her cheek and she smiled softly. Though he wanted to stay, he knew he had to go. Already he had stayed longer than he should have.

"Kougami-san?" she called when he reached the foot of the bed.

"What is it?"

"Mm… Thanks for visiting."

"Not a problem. Now get your rest," he answered.

* * *

_The Next Day_

Akane was awake in bed when the door slid open to reveal her two visitors. What she didn't know was that her fellow inspector had received a reprimand from his father; that he could be so heartless as to forbid them from visiting when everyone was worried about her. As a result, he was able to come with their young enforcer who was eager to see her. At the same time, the others had been filling his ears with lies; that he was the cause of her current predicament.

"Hello," she greeted, startled to see the subdued enforcer who was usually so carefree with a ready smile for her.

"Hello ojou-chan."

To her further surprise, Masaoka had to nudge him before Kagari would even look at her. Obviously something had happened during her absence to cause such a drastic change in him. Unfortunately, she had no idea what that might be. Poking out her hand, she motioned for them to come closer. It was difficult to have a conversation when it sapped her energy as she practically shouted across the room.

"Come sit with me, Kagari," she said.

As he went to comply with her request, Masaoka took the opportunity to ask about her well-being. She assured him that she felt much better after a good night's rest. She even predicted that she would make a speedy recovery. After all, the nurses were on hand to monitor her condition and provided any assistance she required. Satisfied with this visit, Masaoka excused himself from the room.

"So, what's wrong?" Akane asked gently as Kagari was behaving strangely out of character.

"… I came to apologize."

"Eh? For what?"

"For making you sick," he explained. "It's my fault."

"What?"

"Everyone is saying it's my fault because I was sick first and you had to take care of me."

Stunned that anyone would say that, she stared at him. Finally she laughed, a gentle breathy sound, as that had to be the most ridiculous thing she had heard. He was sick nearly two months ago. If she was going to catch it from him, she would have shown symptoms much earlier than this.

"Don't be absurd," she said. "It's not your fault, it's mine."

"It's not?" he questioned slowly.

"Of course not! I was being careless the other day when I felt like taking a shower after work. I should have dried my hair properly and dressed warmly, but I was distracted… So I was sitting around with wet hair and flimsy clothes for hours before I caught my mistake."

"Oh… Oh! So it's really not my fault?"

Akane nodded her head and watched as a brilliant smile transformed his face into the one she had come to recognize as characteristically Shuusei's. The mischievous glint so typically found in his eyes had returned. Why the others would make up such a story, she didn't know, but she preferred him the way he was now – teasing and relaxed.

"So… Then I can feed you your meal?" he asked impishly.

At this, she could only laugh before nodding her head in consent. Eagerly he jumped out of his seat and went to hound the nurses regarding her next meal. She should have known from the start that he was up to no good. He wouldn't be Kagari if he wasn't. Though he didn't bother to ask if she was even hungry, she supposed it wasn't a big deal. An hour early was nothing and she could just buzz one of the nurses if she became hungry later.

* * *

_Two Days Later_

The door to her room slid open and in walked her least expected visitor. Akane's eyes widened in surprise. Her fellow inspector had made an appearance when she wasn't expecting him at all. All the others had already visited for varying lengths of time. Kunizuka had come briefly – stared at her for a while and then inquired about her well-being. When she answered that she was improving, the female enforcer gave a curt nod of her head and excused herself.

Karanomori had come visiting with Kougami, and Akane found herself being assaulted by the pillow softness of Shion's breasts; she was hugged tightly to her chest to the point where she couldn't breathe. Such a flamboyant display of affection seemed out of character for their analyst, but Akane was touched. In actuality, it was a calculated move on her part – a fact Akane didn't realize.

Her affection for Akane was truly genuine, but her flashy show had been performed for Shinya's sake; flaunting the fact that she could get close to Akane in such an intimate fashion with no repercussions while he was left to sneak around as he didn't have that luxury. His glare had been drilling through her back the entire time, until she finally let go and stepped away from her.

Her most frequent visitors were Kagari and Kougami, who both seemed to have the same idea – she was not well enough to eat on her own. When she pointed this out to Kagari, he only grinned, ignoring her before declaring that he didn't care; he was going to feed her anyways. As for Kougami, he rewarded her with a firm stare before blatantly dismissing the notion as untrue. So, considering the fact that she was nearly recovered, she thought Ginoza would be much too busy to even bother coming.

"Hello Ginoza-san," she said.

For some reason, he seemed discomfited as he promptly pushed up his glasses and fixed his tie. She understood that this type of visit wasn't like him at all, but she only assumed he had something critical to relay to her. Though their personalities were different, vastly different, they were still partners. Ginoza had always shown concern for her; just in his own way and in a way she never understood…

"Inspector Tsunemori," he stated tersely.

"Yes?"

"I…"

Words failed him as he managed to get one out before pausing. More uncomfortable shifting and rearranging of his clothes took place. Perhaps it was the fact that she was staring, but she couldn't help it. This was definitely not the Ginoza she had become accustomed to; stammering and shaking when he faced her of all people. A snippet of one conversation with Kagari flashed through her mind, but she dismissed it as a potential cause. The others would never be able to trick Ginoza into thinking her current absence was somehow his doing.

"I…" he tried again after taking a few steps forward.

"Mm?"

Though she prompted him to continue, he didn't. She couldn't possibly imagine what he wanted to say; he was behaving so strangely. He kept fussing with his tie, and then his glasses, and then his suit. Suddenly, all the fussing stopped as a thoughtful expression came onto his face. It lasted for a brief moment before his usual mask was in place. The only difference this time was the way he ran his fingers through his hair, dishevelling it; a stark contrast for the neat and tidy Ginoza; his clothes looking so proper they belonged on a mannequin while his hair poked out in odd directions.

Stifling a laugh, Akane tried her hardest to keep a straight face as she continued to watch her companion. She rather liked this look on him because it softened the harsh lines of his face which remained impassive. It made him seem more human and approachable. With no awareness of his altered appearance, Ginoza fixed his tie one last time and set his glasses firmly in place before clearing his throat.

He didn't speak, but rather approached the stool which was a permanent fixture beside her bed. Countless times it had been occupied by the bottoms of enforcers, but it was about to have its first experience with an inspector. Primly, he seated himself on it before scooting right up to the edge of her bed. Yet still he didn't speak, only gazing at her earnestly.

"Ginoza-san?"

"I have something I wish to say to you," he stated.

"Oh alright."

"… What is the status update for your condition?"

"I'm recovering on schedule," she answered, amused and unsurprised at his formal manner of inquiring about her health.

"Excellent. When you are given clearance, you must return to your post immediately where your presence is much required. Am I understood?"

Slowly, she nodded in response and Ginoza was pleased with that, except she wasn't finished with him yet. He was completely taken aback when her expression softened into a warm smile. What was that to mean? Once again uncomfortable, he began fixing his glasses. He couldn't understand why she was looking at him that way when he only came to convey orders; or why _he_ couldn't stop gazing at that smile of hers.

"Looks like you're very popular, Tsunemori-chan."

The spell was broken by the entrance of a nurse, carrying her lunch tray. Both inspectors glanced at her, but when he glanced at Akane out of the corner of his eye, Ginoza was relieved she looked normal. Perhaps he had been imagining things. After all, he had been pulling long hours to cover for the fact that she was unwell; he himself was starting to feel unwell.

"Here you go. Just don't spill any on the blankets," the nurse said as she placed the tray in Ginoza's hands.

"Eh?"

"I'll be back for it in thirty minutes, or you can bring it out when you leave."

Before he had a chance to ask what she meant, she was already gone. Flabbergasted by the food tray in his possession, Ginoza could only stare at it. Why was the tray given to him when the patient was Akane? It wasn't like it was his. Presumably, he would have continued staring at it, but his concentration was broken by the sound of her giggles. Offended by her reaction, he sharply glanced up at her, only to be startled by the gentleness of her expression.

"What is this for?" he managed to ask.

"It's my lunch."

"Yes, I realize that, but _why_ was it given to me?"

"… Because you're supposed to feed me," she replied, struggling to keep a straight face.

"What?!"

He jumped up off of the seat, sloshing the contents of her bowl all over the tray. Realizing what he had done, he seemed like he would hurl it across the room if it weren't for the fact that it wasn't his. Already he had lost some of her meal when it didn't look like much to begin with. Guiltily he sat back down, but he looked tormented by the news that he was supposed to feed her.

"That's what Kagari and Kougami insist on doing when they come," she explained after chuckling softly. "She misunderstood and thought you had the same intentions since you were sitting here."

"… Kougami _and_ Kagari?"

"Yes."

That information gave him a pause; he actually glanced back and forth between her and the reduced portion of her meal. To her amazement, he was pondering on the next action he should take when she thought he would place it aside and let her eat on her own; a task she was fully capable of doing. Unbeknownst to her, an impish voice – Kagari's voice – was taunting in his ears; that he was neither nurturing nor capable of caring for her as she needed.

"Very well, since you are a patient," he replied, regaining his customary calm.

Bewildered by his sudden agreement, Akane could only wordlessly obey as he asked her to open her mouth. He even did everything properly; cooling the liquid as he gently blew on it before he delivered the spoon to her. Neither of them spoke as Ginoza was diligently carrying out his appointed duty and Akane had no clue what she could say without making this awkward. One thing she knew for certain; she would never forget this day of her life for as long as she lived…

* * *

_Another Two Days Later_

Making his way to the medic center, Masaoka grinned to himself as he had one-upped the rest of them. Akane was finally being released! Since he was the one to bring her there in the first place, they had asked him to come pick her up. This role was his to play since he never had the chance to feed her while she was sick; a task even his uptight son had somehow been convinced to perform.

Kagari and Kougami had protested when he informed them of where he was going; complaining that they weren't called instead. As for Nobuchika, he pretended that he didn't hear a word they said, still working at his desk. Easily ignoring the younger enforcers, Masaoka quickly made his escape after giving them a smug grin; the final victory was his.

When he reached Akane's room, it was to find her buttoning up her blazer. The nurses had returned her cleaned clothes as she had been in hospital garb during her stay. She smiled when she saw him and he languidly returned it, leaning against the wall while he waited for her. It didn't take her much longer to get ready, joining him.

"Hello ojou-chan. Ready to get back to work?"

"Definitely," she replied heartily. "I can finally understand why Kougami-san insisted on going back even though he wasn't fully recovered. It's maddening how slowly time passes when you have nothing to do. I didn't even feed myself the entire time, treated like a complete invalid."

"It's their way of showing concern for you," Masaoka answered with a grin. "But everyone is glad to have you back on the team."

"And I'm glad to be back. At least I was kept up-to-date with everyone's visit so it won't be difficult to fall right back into the routine of things."

* * *

The moment Masaoka was gone from the room, Kougami and Kagari started whispering between themselves regarding their returning inspector. Since the inspector present didn't comment on their gossip, Kunizuka could only roll her eyes as she was forced to listen to the entire exchange. It wasn't that she didn't like Inspector Tsunemori because she did. She was just amazed, astonished and annoyed how a simple sickness could turn men, usually so capable, into quivering messes as they fought over the simplest thing. It would be great to have Akane return; to re-establish the status quo.

"Eek! What are you doing, Masaoka-san?" they eventually heard Akane ask.

"I'm helping you to the room."

"I'm not sick anymore!" she complained.

"You just recovered. Better to be safe rather than sorry."

This was the last thing they heard before they actually appeared, their voices growing louder as they neared the office. As Masaoka stepped across the threshold, the three men jumped up out of their seats in protest. Their lovely inspector had her arms around his neck as she was being carried princess style, which was a step up from all that they had done.

"Put me down, Masaoka-san," she urged. "Everyone is staring."

"Why? I already carried you once like this."

"That was when I was sick and I'm not sick anymore."

"You were only released five minutes ago," he stated, like that explained perfectly why he was behaving this way.

Since he showed no signs of releasing her, Akane could feel colour touch her cheeks. Kagari, Kougami _and_ Ginoza were staring at them. Unconcerned with their reaction, Masaoka sauntered across the room and carefully deposited her at her desk. As if that weren't enough, he fussed and fiddled, making sure she was comfortable. By the time he was finished, Akane just wanted to sink into a deep, dark hole – she could still feel the others staring.

Finally, he turned to make his way back to his desk. A small sigh escaped her lips before she glanced at the list of items on her to-do list. She hoped she never got sick again; everyone on her team behaved bizarrely, not to mention how much work it was to get caught up. Shaking her head in disbelief, she smoothed down her blazer and noticed something in the process.

"What are you doing?" Kagari asked as she had jumped up out of her seat.

"I forgot something at the medic center. I'll be right back!"

Before anyone could stop her, she dashed out of the room. This allowed for the release of pent-up tension; a tension she didn't recognize was present. Kagari and Kougami turned to Masaoka with baleful glares at how he had orchestrated her return. First he was the one to escort her and upon their return, he was needlessly carrying her; a fact she revealed had already happened once before.

"What was that for?"

"You did that on purpose!" Shinya accused.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Masaoka replied, enjoying his moment of glory.

"She's perfectly fine or they wouldn't have released her. There was no reason at all for you to carry her!"

"So you say. It's a long walk and I was the one to escort her."

Kagari frowned at him while Kougami let out a soft growl. He was tormenting them on purpose, using every instance to rub it in that they were not the ones contacted regarding her release. Shinya though the biggest nuisance was Kagari, but little did he know, until now, that the most devious of them all was actually Masaoka – who managed to get away with much under the guise of a fatherly figure.

"You're not to do that again," Shinya hissed.

"Who are you to tell me that? _I'm_ not the one who purposely made myself sick for attention."

"What? I _thought_ it was suspicious that you suddenly became sick!" Kagari exclaimed. "How could you? And you tried to blame _me_ that I was the one who made her sick!"

"Exactly. If it weren't for the fact that ojou-chan recovered smoothly, I would give you a sound thrashing," threatened Masaoka. "You're the one who has no say at all."

Since his secret was blurted out to the rest of the team, there was nothing Shinya could say. Even so, he glanced at Masaoka mulishly. Both Ginoza and Kunizuka were also glaring at him, along with Kagari. All the while, Masaoka sat back with a satisfied grin, indicating he clearly thought he had won. He hadn't said anything when it happened, so why did he have to say it now?

"How could you?" Kagari accused again. "It's your fault she got sick in the first place."

"You were sick first," Kougami retaliated, not about to give into Kagari since already, he couldn't fight back against Masaoka.

"Yeah, but I wasn't sick on _purpose_. I would never put Tsunemori-chan at risk like that on purpose!"

Shinya would have said more, but he was finally put in his place with a steely glare from their only female enforcer. The words died on his lips as she smacked Kagari on the head with her hand. He protested and was treated to the same cold gaze she had given Kougami. This was not their usual Yayoi and he obediently fell silent.

"Both of you are idiots," she snapped. "If you have had enough fun with disrupting the peace, then get back to work. I'm sick of hearing your complaints and frankly both of you are at fault. From now on, no one is to get sick and if you do, I'll make sure Tsunemori is kept busy so she doesn't have time to look after you. Do I make myself clear?"

It was a rare scene where she lost her temper and both of them had nothing to say. Admitting defeat, they slowly turned back to their computers. Catching the attention of Masaoka who was grinning at her, she treated him to the same stern glance the others received. He had purposely provoked them which made him just as guilty as the rest for disrupting their normally quiet environment. They were busy enough as it was; they didn't need the chaotic office drama to go along with it.

When the enforcers all turned back to their work, peace was restored by the most unexpected quarters. Generally, she was content to stay in the background; which made it that much more terrifying that they had provoked her to that point. Even so, Ginoza was glad that he didn't need to step in to break up the unnecessary fighting. Though Masaoka had been aggravating with his high-handed treatment of the situation, the most important fact was Akane's return itself – something he was eternally grateful for.

"Amen to that," he finally muttered to himself, in full agreement with Kunizuka's statement regarding future sicknesses and the lack thereof.

* * *

**AN**

haha, and that's a wrap! A little uh fanservice for every "pairing" I guess... XD

You know what they say. "Beware of the quiet ones..." Lol, I can seriously imagine Yayoi suddenly freaking out on everyone.

That's all the ideas I had for this one... So until next time! Hope you enjoyed it :)


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